(This is a long post, but it's mostly pictures! Elk, musk oxen, brown bears, and much more! It takes me many nap times pieced together to get a blog post up, so here are all the photos in one post!)

I try to visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center once a year or so, and I am grateful to live less than an hour and a half from it! It feels like a mixture of a wildlife safari and zoo, but set in a beautiful expanse of land at the end of a body of water and between towering mountains.

​According to their website, "AWCC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through public education. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center."

For instance, this porcupine was found with a back leg missing and is now being trained as an educational animal at AWCC. They are training him to follow this target, which means he'll get a food reward, and then they'll be able to take him for walks (no leash!) around the property where people can see him and learn about him up close.

The setting of AWCC is GORGEOUS! Even the moose appreciate the scenery!

As we are in rutting season, all the older male elk but one had been removed from the enclosure that houses the females and young ones and had been put in their own. (Elk are not native to Alaska but have been introduced.)

This elk was putting on a show for us as he stripped the velvet off his antlers. It looks painful and messy, but my husband assures me it does not cause them pain. They are, however, bothered by an itchy sensation, which is what compels them to scrape against trees and branches to rub the velvet off.

Musk oxen are amazing animals with a protective herd instinct. I have been told since living in Alaska that in the presence of a predator, the strong, able-bodied musk oxen will circle up around the weaker ones of their group and defend them. I mean, would you really want to mess with those horns? I have also seen these creatures run, and they are FAST!

You can walk or drive (or a bit of both) the two miles on the property. It is such a scenic place to stroll.

And the bears!! What an amazing opportunity to get so close to these fearsome, incredible animals. The organization currently has three brown bears and at least one black bear. Here are some interesting facts about brown bears (sometimes known as grizzly bears) in Alaska.

These wolves were beautiful. I have only seen one wolf in the wild, and it's a thrill to see.

The AWCC helped Alaska Fish and Game to reintroduce a herd of wood bison into the interior of Alaska to help establish a wood bison presence in Alaska for the first time in over 100 years. AWCC has a neat timeline of the process here.

Education, wildlife, and breathtaking views! Sounds like the recipe for a great adventure!

My wonderful sister-in-law and fellow twin mama came up for a quick visit by herself to meet the girls and help out. We went on our adventure on the one sunny day between rainy days, and we each wore one of my babies in a carrier and trekked around for two miles, having a wonderful time. I was so grateful for her company and her visit!

And lastly, my favorite picture from the day. As a nursing mama of twins, I felt a special connection to this moment and bond and was so glad to capture it on camera.

I can't wait till our girls are a little older and can appreciate seeing all these animals up close!

Hello!

I'm a mom of twins, published author, editor, amateur photographer, and nature enthusiast with an unlimited supply of curiosity. Come discover the little wonders I find during my everyday life in Alaska.